Struggle and Support

MAN, I have the BEST FRIENDS EVER. I've received everything from tough love to logical love to just plain love since my post yesterday. For the record, I have no plan to quit my diet. The thought of going back to being fat and very unhappy did not even hang out in my head long enough for me to consider it a possibility. I've been feeling too good (I mean physically good, not necessarily emotionally good) since I started this healthier lifestyle. I don't get winded easily, I have more energy and in general I just feel physically capable to tackle things. Maybe it's a growing confidence, or maybe it's knowing my physical abilities better or a combination of both. Regardless, I can't imagine myself going back to eating french fries almost every day or gorging myself with fast food tacos whenever I feel like it. Even having a few unmotivated days didn't make me crave fast food.

I thought about not posting yesterday. I thought about waiting until the unmotivated slump had passed and acting like it wasn't there. But then I realized - who DOESN'T get frustrated when they're on a diet? Who doesn't have days or weeks where they just don't want to do it anymore? If my entire blog was happy and successful and "this is so easy!", that would be a lie. What I was feeling yesterday was true - and one of the reasons I posted it (besides needing inspiration for myself) was to show anyone who's struggling that they're not alone, and hopefully inspire them to push through it. Every dieter will hit a wall at some point. The key is to keep doing your best and NOT TO HIDE IT! If you don't ask for help, NO ONE CAN HELP YOU. I can't even explain to you how long it took me to figure that out. It's like the somewhat cheesy song "Lean On Me" says - "No one can fill those of your needs that you don't let show." I HATE admitting that I need help, that I'm struggling. But if I hadn't posted yesterday, would I be feeling better today? Would I have logged ALL my points for the bad food I ate yesterday? Or would I be in the same unmotivated place? I certainly know I wouldn't have gotten the kick in the pants I needed.

Now, I will say that some people just aren't ready. If you're trying to push your friend, neighbor, family member, etc. to diet with you, and they're not ready, then it's not going to work for them. No one can make that decision for them except themselves. You can encourage and support all you want, but they have to decide to hold themselves accountable. My mom used to encourage me to diet - I took it as some kind of insult, being my very proud and independent self. All I could hear was "You're fat" instead of "I know you're unhappy and you can be happier, please let me help you." Not everyone will see it this way, but it might discourage them slightly. Or maybe they're much more well adjusted than myself and will instantly move into a healthier lifestyle, who knows. But if you don't feel their enthusiasm, don't push. Set an example and perhaps when they see how great you look in your clothes or how quickly you're losing weight, they'll start to make changes too.

A VERY LARGE THANK YOU this week. It amazes me that just by writing this little blog I am affecting other people's lives in a positive way. Thanks for reminding me that I'm not just here for myself. And by here, I mean over 12 pounds down in 8 weeks.